Boldly Going Once More

Posted on Sun Sep 16th, 2018 @ 9:06pm by Commander Rita Paris & Captain Enalia Telvan & Lieutenant Mona Gonadie

Mission: Hera v Hera
Location: USS Hera, Deck 1, the Bridge
Timeline: 2395, departing drydock at Artan Fortress, Kabul system

The hum and bustle of the USS Hera had been going on for a few hours now. Shore leave was over and everyone was ready to depart. They were just waiting on the captain to give the word. As final checks were being called out across the bridge, Enalia stood up from her command chair and looked around one more time.

"Release all moorings. Maneuvering thrusters full power reverse. Take us out Ensign." She called out, thrusting one arm out in an old nautical maneuver reminiscent of old sea captains.

"Aye Captain, moorings cleared. Full reverse. Fortress clear in ten seconds." Mona called back.

As the view of the fortress receded in the viewscreen, Enalia resumed her place in her seat and punched up a star map on her chair's terminal. "Bring us about to 279 Mark 44. Set course for Meroset 347. Make best possible speed out of the system, then go to warp eight. Engage."

"Aye Captain. 279 Mark 44. Coming about now." Mona swung the ship around and reversed thrust as if the Hera was a ship a quarter her size before laying in a course. "Course set for Meroset 347. We'll be there in about a week."

Enalia had to grin a bit. "Excellent. That should give us plenty of time for briefings and training."

Arriving from the turbolift, Paris looked up from the omnipresent PaDD in her hands and was crestfallen to realize that they had cleared all moorings and were headed into the system. "I missed the launch? Phloog..."

Shambling a bit onto the bridge, Paris paused. With Ensign Gonadie at the helm, she wasn't needed there. There were seats off the captain's chair, but they seemed to be universal stations. The truth was, the Constitution-class expert really wasn't sure where to sit. Looking around the bridge, Paris was clearly a bit awkward.

"So, I guess if you're on the bridge I'm not, or... how does this work, ma'am?" All of the duty that Paris had served so far had been in port. This was the first time she'd been the first officer on the bridge with the starship underway.

Enalia motioned to the chair to her right side. "Normally the first officer sits there and monitors everything with me. Ships this size often take two people to command them at times. Captain gets the forefront of things and first officer takes care of the background things. If you prefer to sit somewhere else..."

"Sorry, ma'am. First time," Paris muttered, smoothing out her skirt as she settled into the indicated seat. Logging into the station, she immediately began checking the telemetry, course and heading. All of which Gonadie had covered. In fact, she even had a course adjustment that was smarter than the one Rita would have chosen. Better pilot and a better navigator was a hard pill to swallow, but Rita Paris had long ago given up on being the best at everything. Now she just settled for being good.

Bringing up reports and section statuses, Paris started filing paperwork, then considered for a moment, ran a search program and came up with the Starfleet Executive Officer Guidebook. Because there was a Powerpoint for everything in the future.

Enalia stretched and tapped at her console a bit before sending a message with an attached picture of a cartoon drawing of the Captain riding the Hera through space that one of the lower decks crewmen had done to Rita's console.

>Is this the command part? I mean, you just do your paperwork up here and kill time waiting for something to go wrong?< Rita texted back.

>Most of the time, yeah.< Enalia shot back in the messenger app. >Though most things that go wrong aren't that big, thankfully.<

There was a moment where Paris considered her next statement, then tapped it out, edited it, then sent it. >I'm used to running around the ship, checking in with people, getting the barometer of what's happening to report back. This seems so... sterile and removed. This is command in the 24th and a half century?<

Enalia couldn't help but grin as she typed out a reply. >With a ship this big, yes. Running around is Ila's job. If this was a small ship, we could visit everywhere easily, but we have over a hundred offices and a bridge to maintain.<

To the officer who had spent the past seven hours doing just that, tracking miles across the huge starship that seemed as though exactly how it should be done. The gold-clad commander had become a common sight in turbolifts and Jeffries tunes around the Hera as she worked through the preflight checklist. She could always tap Gonadie out to have something to do, but it seemed as though that wasn't her job anymore. Idly she scrolled through some options screens to see if there was a Galaga emulator, then stopped and tapped back.

>With all due respect, it just seems like there's no need for me here if you're here, ma'am. I'm supposed to manage the crew, right? Shouldn't I be amongst them to do that?< Paris tapped out as onscreen the asteroid belt approached. Debating, she turned back to look at the Captain, who was preoccupied with something in the screen. Debate continued for a few seconds, then she sent the message anyway. Honesty was best, and perhaps she didn't understand what she was supposed to be doing here. Pretending she did wouldn't help anyone.

Enalia looked up and stared at Rita thoughtfully for several long moments before typing out a reply. >Perhaps you're right. I do visit most parts of the ship but not as often as I'd like. If you have the time and energy, carry on. Just please report to the bridge when there's a crisis.<

It seemed both of them were feeling each other out over how they would work together to run the mighty starship, which she appreciated. Captain Telvan didn't expect her to know everything just yet, but by the same token, it seemed she trusted Rita's instincts. Turning back to the Captain, Rita raised her eyebrows and nodded slightly in a 'you sure?' expression that was simple to read.

Enalia instead typed out a reply to the odious inquiry. >You've proven the infamous human gut feelings are worth something after all. I trust you and I'm glad you're here.<

>I won't let you down, ma'am. I'll be here in a hurry if there's trouble, have no fear.< Paris typed back. Signing out of the station, Paris parked her PaDD on her hip as she rose, then made her way fore to tap the Hera's pilot on the shoulder. As Gonadie turned, expecting her chief to be taking over, instead Paris simply patted her assistant's shoulder. "She's in good hands, Ensign. Steady as she goes."

Pivoting, Paris made her way off the bridge, a smile on her face and a nod for the Captain. There were a hundred departments onboard the Hera, and not all of them would get a visit from the first officer today. But a surprising number would, as the mighty starship left behind the Artan Family Fortress and the Kabul system.

The USS Hera hurtling once more toward the stars, her destiny.